ARBOR DAY EVERYDAY: HOW TO PLANT A TREE

Planting trees on Earth Day and Arbor Day is just one important way we can help support the Earth. Planting a tree can be a fun experience, but also an intimidating one. There are a lot of steps in order to make sure your tree is successful! Luckily, you have the experts at City Floral to help break down the steps on how to plant a tree.

The first unofficial step when planting a tree is to relax, think of it as planting a big pansy or a tomato starter. That way it doesn’t seem so scary—you can do this! Here are 6 steps on how to plant a tree.

DIG A HOLE

Well this seems obvious, but the key is to dig 3 to 4 times wider than the container. Make sure the hole has sloping sides like a saucer. This will allow room for the roots to grow properly and successfully.

REMOVE TREE FROM CONTAINER

This is an important step because you want to make sure you are not damaging the roots. Carefully remove the tree from the container while keeping the soil around the roots intact. You can tap the outside of the container to help loosen the edge. Carefully slide the tree from the container. Whatever you do, do not yank the tree out of the container as this can separate the roots from the tree.

TEND TO THE ROOT BALL

Sometimes containerized trees become root-bound or the roots look like they are compacted together and are about to grow around the root ball. If your tree is like this, cut an X across the bottom of the root ball and four vertical slices along the sides of the root ball with a sharp knife. This will help open up the roots.

PLACE THE TREE

Set the tree in the middle of the hole. Avoid planting the tree too deep. Check that the root collar (A tree’s root collar is the area where the roots join the main stem or trunk) is aligned to the top of the hole, if it sits above it, compact some soil under the tree. Using some soil, secure the tree in a straight position. Then fill and firmly pack the hole with the original soil, making sure there are no air pockets. Keep filling with soil until the soil is just below the root collar.

CREATE A WATERING HOLE

Just like with every plant, making sure your tree is getting the right amount of water is crucial! Create a water-holding basin around the hole. This will make sure the water gets to the roots. After the water has soaked in, spread protective mulch 2–4 inches deep in a 3-foot diameter area around the base of the tree, but not touching the trunk. The soil around your tree should be moist, not soggy.

SUPPORT THE TREE

Remove any tags and labels from the tree as these will affect the tree as it grows. You may need to prune any broken or dead branches. If your tree starts to lean, make sure to pick up some tree stakes at City Floral to ensure your tree will grow upward and not sideways.

The world certainly could use more trees, so stop by City Floral Garden Center and check out our perennial area. Here you will find the right tree for your yard and make Arbor Day a success.

What kind of tree would you like to plant in your yard? Share with us on Instagram or Facebook and tag @cityfloralgardencenter or in the comments below!